Thought-Provoking Insights from NPR

Whether you listen to it on repeat or find it irritating, there is no denying that Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas is You” has become an integral part of the Christmas music repertoire.

Nonetheless, the holiday music repertoire is extensive, and several other pop artists have contributed their own festive tunes since 1994, including John Legend, Justin Bieber, and Taylor Swift.

However, even the artist who shattered records with her Eras tour has not provided us with a holiday song that has the enduring attraction worthy of The Canon.

For three decades, Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas is You” has ruled the holiday music charts. NPR’s Stephen Thompson elucidates what renders it a timeless hit.

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This episode was produced by Marc Rivers.

It was edited by Courtney Dorning and Ashley Brown.

Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.